Refrigerator with extendable supports

ABSTRACT

A refrigerator has a basic structure and a door which encloses an interior. At least one refrigerated-article support which is arranged in a displaceable manner in the intrior is assigned a drive device for driving a displacement movement.

The present invention relates to a refrigerator with extendable refrigerated article supports according to the preamble of claim 1. Such a refrigerator is known from DE 199 07 050 A1.

In the case of the known refrigerator, the article supports are guided in a displaceable manner in rails which are formed in the side walls of the inner container of the refrigerator. In these rails, the article supports can be advanced out of a rest position, in which they are fully integrated in the basic structure of the refrigerator and the door of the refrigerator can be closed, into a position in which they partially project out of the basic structure and thus facilitate access to articles which are placed in a rear region of the article support.

The article supports have to be manually drawn out of the basic structure and pushed into the same. There is a risk here, if an article support sticks, of a user pulling the article support with too great a force in order to move it, with the result that articles set down thereon fall over.

The object of the present invention is to improve the ease of use and the operational reliability of such a refrigerator.

The object is achieved by a refrigerator having the features of claim 1.

The drive device relieves the user of at least one displacement movement of the article support. The acceleration of the article support which can be produced by the drive device is limited and can easily be coordinated by the manufacturer such that there is no risk of articles tilting over during a displacement movement driven by the drive device.

As a result of the straightforward configuration of the invention, the drive device has a spring element as the power source.

This spring element is preferably subjected to more pronounced stressing in a position in which the article support is retracted in the interior than in a position in which it is extended out of the interior, with the result that the spring element drives a movement of the article support into the extended position. The drive power for moving the article support back into the retracted position has to be applied by the user, the spring being subjected to stressing again at the same time.

In order to prevent unintentional extension, a catch is expediently provided for the purpose of locking the article support in the retracted position.

An actuating element for releasing the catch is expediently fitted in an easily accessible manner for a user on an edge of the article support which is in the vicinity of the door.

In the case of a configuration of the invention which involves higher outlay, it is also possible to provide a motor as the drive device. This motor can drive the displacement movement of the article support in both directions.

In order for it not to take up any space in the interior of the refrigerator, the drive device is preferably incorporated in a wall of the interior.

Further features and advantages of the invention can be gathered from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached figures, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic partial section through a refrigerator according to the invention with an article support in the retracted position;

FIG. 2 shows a partial section analogous to that of FIG. 1 with the article support in the extended position;

FIG. 3 shows an example of a catch mechanism for locking the article support in the retracted position;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of a first configuration of a drive device; and

FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration of a second configuration of a drive device.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic section through the top region of a refrigerator having a basic structure 1 and a door 2 which are designed as a hollow body filled with an insulating foam material and enclose an interior 3 which is accessible via an access opening in the basic structure 1, it being possible for the access opening to be covered by the door 2. The interior 3 contains at least one refrigerated-article support 4, which can be displaced on grooves 5 formed in opposite side walls of the interior 3. A drive device 6 assigned to the article support 4 is illustrated schematically in a rear wall 7 of the basic structure 1. A button 8 on a front edge of the article support 4, this edge being directed toward the door 2, serves for releasing a catch which retains the article support 4 in the position illustrated.

If the door 2 is opened and a user pushes the button 8 in order to release the catch, the drive device 6 becomes active and pushes the article support 4 into the extended position, which is illustrated in FIG. 2.

An example of a design of the locking mechanism is shown in FIG. 3 in a schematic horizontal section through the front region of the article support 4, this region being in the vicinity of the door. The front region of the article support 4 has a channel 10 which is open in the direction of the side walls 9 of the basic structure 1 and in which two catches 11 are guided such that they can be displaced in the longitudinal direction of the channel. In the rest state, they are forced outward by springs (not illustrated), with the result that they engage in latching recesses 12 of the side walls 9. In this state, the article support 4 is arrested in its retracted position.

The button 8 engages in the channel 10 from the front edge of the article support 4 through an opening 13. It is guided in a rail 14, illustrated by dashed lines, such that it can be displaced in the direction of the arrow P. It has two flanks which each butt against oblique surfaces 15 of the catches 11, with the result that, when the button 8 is pushed in, these catches move out of the latching recesses 12 and free the article support 4.

FIG. 4 shows a first configuration of a drive device 6 in a horizontal section level with the article support 4 driven by it. Of the article support 4, only a small lateral peripheral region with a sliding block 16 is shown, this sliding block meshing with a worm 17 which is fitted in a rotatable manner in the groove 5, which also supports the article support 4. The worm 17 is coupled, via gearwheels 18, 19, to a helical spring 20 which is accommodated in a recess 21 in the rear wall 7 of the basic structure 1. In the retracted position of the article support 4, the helical spring 20 is subjected to pronounced stressing. When the article support 4 is unlocked, it drives a rotation of the worm 17, by means of which the article support 4 is advanced slowly and uniformly into the extended position.

FIG. 5 shows a second configuration of a drive device which likewise uses a helical spring 20, although in this case a housing 22, which accommodates the helical spring, is incorporated in a depression of each side wall 9 such that it crosses over the groove 5. A gearwheel 19 coupled to the helical spring 20 engages in the groove 5 from beneath, through a cut-out of the housing 22, and meshes there with a linear toothing formation 23 which is formed on an underside of the article support 4. The extended position of the article support 4 here is secured by a protrusion 24 at the end of the toothing formation 23, this protrusion, when it comes into contact with the gearwheel 19, blocking any further rotation thereof. 

1-7. canceled.
 8. A refrigerator, comprising: a basic structure formed with an access opening; a door covering said access opening in the basic structure for closing off an interior space; at least one refrigerated-article support displaceably disposed in said interior space for displacement transversely to said opening; and a drive device operatively associated with said support for displacing said support along a displacement movement transversely to said opening.
 9. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein said drive device comprises a spring element.
 10. The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein said spring element is subjected to more pronounced stressing in a position wherein said article support is retracted in said interior than in a position wherein said article support is extended out of said interior.
 11. The refrigerator according to claim 10, which comprises a catch device for locking said article support in the retracted position.
 12. The refrigerator according to claim 11, which comprises an actuating element for actuating said catch device fitted on an edge of said article support in vicinity of said door.
 13. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein said drive device comprises a motor.
 14. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein said drive device is incorporated in a wall of said basic structure defining said interior space. 